Habanos S.A. has announced that it is giving its Rafael González brand a slightly updated look, giving it more vibrant bands and a slightly different box design.

The box has ben updated to meet with European Tobacco Products Directive, or EUPTD2, requirements, notably adjusting the stickers on the sides of the boxes. The bands have been updated with new printing techniques that the Cuban cigar maker says allow the text to be more easily read.

The Rafael González line is a fairly minor one for Habanos S.A., with only three regular production offerings available. It has been used for three Edición Regional releases, though none since 2017.

Habanos S.A. has not set a specific timeline for when the new packaging will begin showing up on store shelves.

Image via Habanos S.A.

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Patrick Lagreid

I strive to capture the essence of a cigar and the people behind them in my work – every cigar you light up is the culmination of the work of countless people and often represents generations of struggle and stories. For me, it’s about so much more than the cigar – it’s about the story behind it, the experience of enjoying the work of artisans and the way that a good cigar can bring people together. In addition to my work with halfwheel, I’m the public address announcer for the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks during spring training, as well as for the Salt River Rafters of the Arizona Fall League, the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury and previously the Arizona Rattlers of the Indoor Football League. I also work in a number of roles for Major League Baseball, plus I'm a voice over artist. Prior to joining halfwheel, I covered the Phoenix and national cigar scene for Examiner.com, and was an editor for Cigar Snob magazine.